The Tamil Nadu government would act against anyone involved in crimes against women irrespective of their position and status, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Wednesday, while pointing to the arrest of two DMK cadres for misbehaving with a woman police constable at a public meeting here.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday, January 11, addressed the issue of a woman police officer who was sexually harassed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) members on December 31.Responding to a question raised by Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, the Chief Minister said that all necessary actions were taken, and that a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by the R5 Virugambakkam police right after they received the woman’s complaint on the night of December 31.
CM Stalin told the Assembly that the police, who initiated the probe, arrested the accused — S Pravin Kumar and S Egambaram — on January 3. The accused were arrested on January 3 and were remanded the next day, he added. The two were booked under sections 353 (assaulting a public servant) and 354 (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code, along with section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
Stalin was responding to Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami’s charge in the Assembly that the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu has deteriorated under the current DMK rule. In his reply, the CM tore into his predecessor by pointing to incidents like police firing at anti-Sterlite protesters in Thoothukudi, custodial death of a father-son duo, and Pollachi sexual assault and seeking to turn the table.
Raising the issue after the Question Hour, the AIADMK interim general secretary asked how will the DMK ensure law and order when police women themselves feel unsafe from ruling party cadres.
Addressing the Assembly, CM Stalin said that those involved in crimes against women will face stringent action. He also slammed the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for failing to take action in crimes committed during their regime.
Responding to the AIADMK’s allegations, CM Stalin also listed out acts of violence that occurred during the AIADMK regime, including the 2018 Sterlite shooting, the Pollachi sexual assault and extortion case, the 2012 police shootout during which six Dalit people were killed, and others.
It is to be noted that the action against Pravin and Egambaram was taken after the ruling DMK government received flak from opposition leaders over the issue. Following the sharp criticism, on January 3, DMK general secretary Duraimurugan announced that the duo were temporarily suspended from their posts and removed from the party’s basic membership.
